Garrard not conceding QB job to Sanchez

NEW YORK — David Garrard joined the Jets with his sights set on being their starting quarterback.

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — David Garrard joined the Jets with his sights set on being their starting quarterback.

Despite not taking a regular-season snap in the NFL since 2010, the 35-year-old veteran is healthy and ready to try to beat out Mark Sanchez and whoever else might be in the mix at quarterback this season.

"Honestly, they just told me that I have a chance to compete for the starting job," Garrard said during a conference call Tuesday. "That's what was told to me and they all seemed to be very genuine with it. They didn't seem to be, 'Let's just say this to him to get him here and slot him in the 2 or 3 or 4 spot.' I didn't feel it.

"That's how it was presented to me and that's how I still feel."

Garrard, who signed Monday with the Jets, dealt with back and knee injuries that sidelined him the last few seasons. Garrard was in training camp with Miami last summer and appeared to have a chance at the starting job, but a knee issue that was covered on HBO's "Hard Knocks" ended those hopes.

"My knee is great now and I've moved on from that," Garrard said. "I've climbed that hill and I'm really just excited to get back in the league and back playing ball and just being on a team."

Garrard said he would feel "comfortable" in a West Coast-style offense that new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg is expected to run with the Jets. He also insisted he isn't concerned about taking hits, and still has some of the mobility that made him such a dynamic player earlier in his career.

"If I have to get a first down, I can," Garrard said with a laugh. "I can tell you that much."

The Jets currently have Garrard, Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms as quarterbacks on their roster, and Mornhinweg said Monday that he expected to have an open competition at the position. But, Mornhinweg also added that Sanchez would "probably have just a little bit of a leg up, it would appear."

That doesn't faze Garrard, who made a Pro Bowl in nine seasons with Jacksonville.